2.14.10 - Happy Valentine's Day

Yeah...

~ I hope you don't get roses ~ (That's a compliment)

2.1.10 - Robert's in Nashville

right now...

and

Take that in.

Also, bartender / fiddle player... will you marry me???

1.21.10 - I'm Alive

I know, I know... it's been almost a month since my last post. Lets just say 2010 has been kicking my a$$ with a wedding, crossword puzzles, beverages, darts, and work. Back on it though. Let's hope for good this time. I have written a couple posts about some local bands, but am waiting for a good video to post. Gotta keep moving along now. This one is about 'Delta Spirit'. They have a ridiculously great album called 'Ode To Sunshine' that I can listen to over and over again. It came out in 2007 or '08 and I really don't think I'm tired of any of it still. I had the distinct pleasure of catching their set at Bonnaroo last year and hope to see them at least 53 more times this year. The guys voice is so powerful and still sincere. The slow songs are gorgeous... the fast songs are great and def. radio worthy. Go buy the record NOW and hopefully we'll be seeing another one from them very soon. I'm going to introduce you to 2 of my favorite websites too.

First is 'Daytrotter'. They post new song sessions everyday with different artists and 'Delta Spirit' has been a guest at least 3 times. The first link I'm posting has a Paul Simon cover called
'Duncan' and a wonderfully slow song called 'House Built For Two'.

http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/delta-spirit-concert/20030101-110636.html

The second link has 'Bleeding Bells' and their single 'Trashcan'

http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/delta-spirit-concert/20030246-110636.html

Thirdly, I'm posting a link to another wonderful site from across the pond called 'La Blogotheque'. They do some amazing videos and kinda just let the artists do whatever they wanna do. I highly recommend wasting at least 12 days on this site. This is 'People Turn Around'

Delta Spirit - People Turn Around from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Here's the blogotheque version of 'Trashcan' too... wish i could've been on that trolley :)

Delta Spirit - Trashcan from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

12.27.09 - Finally, Something Local

Here in Nashville, I have many good friends that are musicians. That aside... there are many great artists here in town. Friends or not, this is one of my favorites. He's a transfer here from Chicago and I'm so glad that he's around. This kid is amazingly talented and recorded his last record pretty much in his house. Also, it is appropriate that he is the first local artist I write about since he is really the reason I got into local music here in Nashville in the first place. I thought it was all country (like many of you) and heard this kid while interning at the radio station (Lightning 100). It was a track called 'Radio Symphony' and was completely different than anything we had listened to. I quickly found out his name was Kyle Andrews. Soon after, he released an album called ' Amos In Ohio' and I knew this kid was the real deal. We played the track 'Your Tester Bunny' on the station and I personally used just about every song from it on compilations I made during college. Such a great record. Dark but playful and highly recommended. Then came a small change in his sound... and I still loved it. It was an E.P. called 'Find Love, Let Go' and featured great songs like 'Give Up The Anger', 'Get Mad', & my personal favorite that is completely different than most all of his songs, 'Lackluster Love'. On that track, it's basically Kyle and a guitar and in my opinion (sorry Kyle if you are reading this) should only be played that way :). The song stands on its own. No need for bells and whistles. It's an intimate look inward. The simplicity of the recording and instrumentation reflects that sentiment perfectly. It's so personal, but yet universal in it's lovelorn message. The perfect song. Again, just my opinion. Moving on. 'Real Blasty' came out in 2008 and he embraced the electronic experimentation he had been hinting at for years... and it was brilliant. Easily one of my top 2 favorite records of that year. Front to back, awesome dance party rock your face off and slow it down goodness. Which brings me to the video I am posting. The first track is 'Sushi' and the video is great. It's a YouTube mosaic and you can click the videos they use to take you to something random in the internet video world. So here it is...

Kyle also just released an X-mas E.P. called 'Damn Baby, You're Cold' which I think works year round for the most part. So much fun.

On a personal note:

Kyle... you are one of the most interesting and talented people I've ever had the privilege of meeting. Keep at it, b/c you have what it takes to be doing what you love for a long, long time. And I will always be eagerly awaiting to hear what you come up with next.

12.18.09 - Part I

To do:

Australia

Scotland

Pittsburgh

Record Label

Ummm... Save $

Sit-Ups

Keep Car Clean

Buy Fantastic Mr. Fox on DVD when it comes out

Protomen... Be there every time they play

Music to come...

12.15.09 - Back on it

I've realized that I'm basically just writing about my favorite bands on here. I'm going to continue that trend with this one. Short and sweet... I think. This band is out of Kansas, I do believe Lawrence maybe. Anyways, the lead singer and I guess mainstay of the band is Chris Crisci. He was in a band called 'The Appleseed Cast' awhile back. Now he focuses a lot on recording for the most part. His latest project though is 'Old Canes'!!! I love this band. 'Early Morning Hyms' was the first release back in 2004 and is one of those albums you start, let finish, and continue to listen to again. It's a brilliant record! A few months back he released 'Feral Harmonic' on Saddle Creek Records (awesome label) which is great too. Highlights from that album are 'Little Bird Courage', 'Flower Faces', ok I'm going to stop before I just list the entire record. Getting back to 'Early Morning Hymns' though... It is amazing (one of my favorite albums ever, fo realz) and I wanted to share a video of a song from it. This is 'Both Falling Bright' from some web thing called 'The Turnpike'. Chris plays solo on this video, but the albums are so much more full with strings, horns, saws, and whatever else... KINDA "Neutral Milk Hotel - y" I guess. Just check it out and then go buy 'Early Morning Hymns' on the Myspace or at your local record store or something. Totally worth it.
By the way, the song starts 1:10 into this video... not just a montage of pictures.
Thanks for reading and watching.

12.12.09 - II - Done Djing

I really want to keep on this blog. Therefore, even though I just got off Djing after working at the station today... here is my post. I want it to kind of flow from the first one. Let me preface this by saying that I don't ONLY love singer-songwriters and these posts will move forward to bands and rap and anything else. That said, here's another wonderful singer-songwriter. Haha! Actually, I will introduce a wonderful band from Portland, OR too. First though, this cat is from Chicago, IL and goes by the name Joe Pug. I don't know any other way of saying it better than Dylanesque. This kid is deep and writing about things that are rarely thought about by guys our age. Last time I saw him play was at the legendary Bluebird Cafe here in town. It was part of Next Big Nashville, a festival here started by Jason Moon Wilkins. It's expanding each year and put on one of the best shows I've ever seen. It was Cory Branan (see first post), Joe Pug, & Carl Broemel (the guitar player from My Morning Jacket). I saw Joe at Bonnaroo
and first caught him at The Basement with a band called 'Horse Feathers'.
I was there to see them and couldn't wait. They're like an Iron & Wine with
heavy strings. So beautiful andintricate, yet simple. They have two albums
out and I recommend both! Def. recommend 'House With No Home'. Kill
Rock Stars is a great label! Anyways, Joe opened for them and I was nailed
to the seat. Such detailed stories. I felt like he had actually been a

character in each point of view he wrote from. Horse Feathers were
wonderful too, but Joe sucker punched me with his songs. So I'm going
to shut up now and here's a video from each...

Ok... two from Joe Pug :)

I mean, "the more i buy the more i'm bought - the more i'm bought the less
i cost." RIDICULOUS!

All these HearYa.com session videos are fantastic! This is 'Rude To Rile'